Another agenda is starting to come into focus today: that of the New Democratic Party, under Governor Andrew Cuomo, thanks to a set of local, mostly low-profile races throughout the state. Though Cuomo's direct involvement has been limited, the results nonetheless bear his stamp, according to one operative I spoke to. The Democrats with the best chance of winning, the operative said, are fiscally conservative "Cuomo Democrats" rather than big-government "Obama Democrats."

Another moment that will help define what it means to be a Cuomo Democrat will be next week's meeting of the state Democratic Party, where, Liz Benjamin reports, two resolutions may get debated. One is in support of the Occupy Wall Street protests; the other is in opposition to hydrofracking.